Sports media notes: Byron Scott, Luke Walton join Lakers broadcasts

Luke Walton and Byron Scott can’t get away from each other.
They were together with the Cavaliers for parts of two seasons as player and coach. Now, they’ve been hired as analysts for Time Warner Cable SportsNet’s Lakers coverage.
They will join James Worthy and Robert Horry, giving the team a combined 15 NBA championship rings on set.
Scott, who spent three seasons as Cavs coach, won three NBA titles with the Lakers in the mid-1980s. Walton has rings from the Lakers’ 2009 and 2010 championship teams.
“The addition of Byron Scott and Luke Walton to our on-air team allows Time Warner Cable SportsNet to give fans incredible perspective on the Los Angeles Lakers,” Larry Meyers, vice president, content and executive producer, Time Warner Cable Sports Regional Networks, told the Los Angeles Times. “Byron is an experienced and respected NBA veteran and Luke is fresh off of an accomplished NBA career.
“We have worked hard to assemble an extremely experienced and relevant team of Lakers analysts as we head into our second season of Lakers basketball on Time Warner Cable SportsNet.”
Scott, a candidate for the Los Angeles Clippers’ job that went to Doc Rivers, said he’s excited to join Time Warner Cable SportsNet.
“It’s going to be a great experience, and I look forward to having a lot of fun with my old teammate James Worthy and the rest of the Time Warner Cable SportsNet team,” Scott told the LA Times. “It’s going to be an interesting season for the Lakers, and I think they will surprise a lot of people.”
Scott and Walton will appear on “The LakeShow,” “Access SportsNet” and the network’s regular pre- and postgame shows.Loede out
WKRK-FM 92.3 sports reporter Matt Loede was relieved of his duties last Thursday. After covering Cavs practice, he was told to report to the station, where he was told the news.
Loede covered the Indians this season and also helped with the Cavs and Lake Erie Monsters.
T.J. Zuppe was hired recently as a part-timer and could replace Loede. Zuppe had previously worked for WKNR-AM 850.Roda adds gig
Kenny Roda, dumped recently by WKNR after more than 20 years at the station, has been added to WEWS-TV 5’s football coverage team.
He joined Andy Baskin, Mike Cairns and Josh Cribbs on Monday mornings on its “Dawgs on the Run” show.
Roda is also helping out with Channel 5’s Ohio State coverage on “Tailgate Saturday.”
Both positions are on a free-lance basis.Quick shots
-- Jeff Phelps replaced Fred McLeod for play-by-play duties for the highly entertaining Cavs-Magic game last Friday on Fox Sports Ohio. McLeod’s son, Sean, was married in San Diego. As an aside, Fox analyst Austin Carr only called Phelps “Fred” on one occasion.
-- Tuesday’s Cavs-Bobcats preseason game will be the first Cavs game ever shown on SportsTime Ohio. It will be one of three in the preseason on SportsTime Ohio. McLeod will be back.
-- “Browns Overtime” is getting good reviews at 10 p.m. Sunday on game nights on SportsTime Ohio. Michael Reghi is the host, with JeRod Cherry and Vic Carucci. The group breaks down that Sunday’s game and has plenty of player interviews.
-- Will Burge, let go by WKNR last month, has been hired by Bleacher Report to cover the Browns. He also appears regularly on 92.3 The Fan.
-- Indians beat writer Chris Assenheimer of the Elyria Chonicle-Telegram was in a serious car crash. He broke a bone in his right arm. He’s back to work.
-- Those predicting the Akron Beacon Journal’s Sheldon Ocker’s retirement were a bit premature. Ocker had hip-replacement surgery in September and missed the tail end of the Indians’ season. He’s now hoping to get back and cover some Ohio State football games. He’s still planning to retire at the end of the calendar year.

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About the Author

Bob has covered the Cavs for The News-Herald and Morning Journal since 1995. He's a graduate of Kent State University and New Philadelphia High School. Reach the author at rfinnan@news-herald.com
or follow Bob on Twitter: @BobCavsinsider.